Teiko's End of Year Exam
by Aeareth
Summary: Midorima Shintaro is an extremely competitive student not just in basketball but in academics as well and his main goal is to beat Akashi. This is a short story on Midorima's journey in one of his three end of year exams in Teiko Middle School told of course, through our green-haired man's perspective!
1. Announcement

**Note from the Author:**

Almost all the characters in this story, I tried to stay as true as I possibly can. There's one character though that I had to make up and that is Midorima's little sister. I picked her name, Shizuko and created her personality since there was literally no information on her.  
That tiny section with her in it may change/rewritten depending if there will be new information released on her!

Also, I have next to nothing information about Japanese middle schools so I am sorry if information on the setting in this story is inaccurate. I come from Australia and here, we don't even have middle schools! We go straight to high school when we reach Year 7 (that is what you get when population is small in comparison to land size!).

But overall, I hope I captured the personalities and the essence of each character in this short story and that you enjoy reading it!

* * *

 **Important Notice:**

 **The End of Year Exams shall commence tomorrow.**

 **Be prepared. Study Hard.**

 **Be** _ **Ever Victorious**_ **!**

Midorima Shintaro, holding his lucky item, stared at the daily notice board. Tomorrow was going to be the beginning of a long battle against _the_ leader. _I must defeat Akashi!_ Not _once_ did Akashi get toppled off the Emperor's pedestal. No one has knocked Akashi off the first place in _any_ subject.

The only person who ever came close to _touching_ Akashi's high position was Midorima in biology and chemistry… but no… he didn't. He didn't beat Akashi. Close. Not quite yet.

But this year will be different. Midorima has spent a hundred percent of his energy making sure everything was in order for him to reach his fullest potential in this end of year exams.

 _Rolling pencils, lucky item, Momoi's special notes_ … The list scrolled through Midorima's mind. He was as prepared as he could ever be. Now all that remains was for Cancer to take the number 1 rank in the Oha-Asa and that was determined by fate.

 _Man proposes, God disposes_. It was his motto. There's so much that Midorima can do but in the end, fate plays a huge part.

 _RING!~_

Midorima sighed. _Class time._ He walked down the corridor towards his classroom dreading the sight that would irritate him to no end. Aomine Daiki, his teammate in basketball and classmate, _sleeping!_ _SLEEPING!_ _Sleeping_ when the end of year exams were so close!

It amazes Midorima how Aomine could survive with himself with such appalling grades. _Well, I guess he has basketball as his future._ He turned into the classroom and saw the correctly predicted scene that beheld in front of his eyes.

Aomine Daiki. Sleeping. On the desk in front of Midorima's.

Midorima sighed again and took his position behind the dark blue-haired freak, carefully placing his lucky item on his desk.

The teacher hasn't arrived yet. _It's worth one more shot._ Before he could decide against it, Midorima picked up his pencil and poked it straight into Aomine's side. And just like that, in a flash with incredible reflexes, a dark-skinned hand swiped the pencil out of Midorima's hand and out of his reach.

"Hey!" he said, "Give me back my pencil!"

A stifled yawn answered Midorima's cry.

"Give me back my pencil," Midorima demanded again.

"Why should I?" Aomine drawled, staring at him with one eye, the other closed sleepily, "Why did you poke me anyway? I was sleeping."

"Sleeping!?" Midorima responded furiously, "Why are you even sleeping when the end of year exam is tomorrow?"

"It's tomorrow?"

"Yes idiot!"

"I'll just ask Satsuki for the notes and look at them tonight," Aomine said lazily.

"But..."

"Who cares? As long as I pass, I am okay with my score," Aomine continued.

"But...it isn't right!" Midorima said weakly.

Silence. Then the sound of snoring floated up to Midorima's ears. _Unbelievable! He is asleep...AGAIN! And he has my PENCIL!_ Midorima glared at Aomine's hand which still clutched the pencil he used as a poking device but he knew Aomine enough to dismiss the idea of retrieving the pencil back.

Despite being a dunderhead, a large one at that, Aomine was a magnificent basketball player with unusual strength and speed. Poking him was risky but easy. Taking something from his grip, that's an entirely different story. With his own strength, he might be able to break it free from Aomine's grasp but it would be such a waste of time.

Besides, the pencil was ordinary. His rolling pencils were safe and sound at home. Instead, Midorima impulsively pushed up his glasses as the teacher walked in purposely with a folder loaded with revision papers.

"Class!" he said, "As you all very well know, the end of year exams are tomorrow. I hope that you are all prepared."

Midorima glanced at Aomine's hunched back. _We all know that isn't true._

"I have brought revision sheets that you would be able to use to assist in your studies," the teacher continued, "The exams are spread out through three days. You would be able to check what subjects you would be tested in front of the teacher's staffroom."

Midorima gave a satisfied smile and pushed his glasses up again. _Been there, did that._ _Chemistry's first, then maths, then Japanese..._ He shook his head. _Oh what am I doing? I should be listening to the teacher instead!_ He snapped his attention back to the teacher's instructions.

"-remember to bring your calculator and all stationeries needed. Of course, we shall be providing spares if needed-"

 _The spares are for people like Aomine._

"-and lastly, be here earlier than the usual time just in case," the teacher concluded, "The revision sheets are being passed around now."

Midorima could see the papers passing through the students before a sudden dilemma crossed his mind. The papers would have to go straight through Aomine before arriving to him. _This is why I hate sitting at the back...especially behind a sleeping giant._

"Wake up. Wake up!" he hissed at Aomine's back.

Nothing. He could see the last two revision sheets on Aomine's desk next to his furled up arms. _That is IT!_ He summed up all the energy he could muster and kicked Aomine's chair. It gave out a scraping noise.

"Wake up!" Midorima repeated.

"Hmm..."

"Pass a revision paper to me...and don't forget my pencil."

"Eh?"

He saw Aomine slowly looked down at the pencil under his clutched fist and the revision papers.

"Mmm..."

Aomine dropped the pencil and the two revision sheets on Midorima's desk. Midorima sighed again and adjusted his glasses.

"You know, one of the sheets is for you," he said matter-of-factly.

No reply. Aomine was back into his slumber. _This guy..._ Midorima shook his head in annoyance and looked down at his revision sheet. _Aomine can do whatever he wants._

He balanced the pencil on his hand, ready to answer the first question.


	2. Wake up!

_BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP!_

Midorima groaned and propped himself up to turn off his alarm. It was exam day. The day that he _would_ defeat Akashi once and for all but first things first, he needed to check Oha-Asa for his lucky item.

He carefully put his glasses on, turned on his phone and plugged into the daily horoscope.

 _Today, first place goes to Cancer! Congratulations!_

Midorima pushed up his glasses and smiled before entering the lucky item section.

 _Cancer – a plush pink kitty toy._

He stared at the item listed. Does it mean 'Hello Kitty'? _Great... I don't have a merchandise of Hello Kitty._ A sudden banging pulled him back into reality.

"Onii-san!" a voice called out, "Onii-san, wake up!"

 _Of course! Shizuko!_

"I'm awake," he responded, as he opened the door.

There stood a green-haired girl looking up at him with large round emerald eyes.

"Mum told me to call you awake just in case," she said smiling, "You have your end of year exams today right? You studied right? You must of have. You were so busy yesterday! You didn't even realise I was home. You better do well in the exams okay? Okay?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Midorima said impatiently, "I have a favour to ask, Shizuko."

"Hmm?"

"Can I...borrow one of your Hello Kitty toys?"

"...Eh? Why? OH! Is it your lucky item for today?"

Midorima nodded. Shizuko tilted her head thoughtfully.

"I guess so," she responded slowly, "But if you destroy it, you have to buy me one again!"

"Of course but if you know me, I will-"

"Yeah, yeah I know. Take good care of it. Now hurry and get ready!"

He rushed back inside his room and double checked everything in his school bag. Everything was there. Yawning, he stepped into his bathroom and splashed some cool water on his face. _Much better!_


	3. The Test

"Excuse me but nothing that isn't approved test material must stay outside," the examiner said, briskly.

"I know," Midorima said, pushing up his glasses, "That is why I went to the principal to get an approval for this toy. It's my lucky item."

Disbelief flickered upon the examiner's face.

"I need proof," he demanded.

"Here."

Midorima took out a slip of paper and showed the examiner the evidence of the permission granted by the principal. The examiner stared at the authenticity of the letter. He watched the disbelief replaced by astonishment.

"Umm...It appears to be in order," the examiner stuttered, letting Midorima pass into the exam room.

Smiling, Midorima adjusted his glasses again. _This is what it means to do everything humanely possible._ In every examination, he would visit the principal's office to gain authorisation for his lucky items. Sometimes, the note was not needed due to the easy camouflage of his lucky items as stationeries but there were times such as this and he was always prepared.

Midorima grasp the small Hello Kitty toy and the pencil case containing his rolling pencils and all his necessities in his hands as he walked towards his desk. He saw Akashi sitting at the front row, staring purposely at the students streaming inside the building. And two seats away from Akashi, Aomine was... _sleeping!?_

Irritation flashed through him but as quickly as it came, it subsided as Midorima took a long breath. He moved on. He detected Kise in the crowd spinning and twirling his pencil amongst his fingers. _Kise just can't help but show off._

Finally, he reached to his desk and sat down.

"Oh, Mido-chin," a lazy voice floated up to his ears.

He turned around and saw Murasakibara, another teammate from the basketball club, peering under his heavy eyelids at him. _If there was someone who actually fails academics more than Aomine, it would be Murasakibara._ Murasakibara was a giant with a great body fit for basketball but that was the only thing he was good at. The _only._

"Hello Murasakibara," Midorima answered.

"Why are we here? What is going on?" Murasakibara asked, puzzled.

Midorima furrowed his eyebrows and looked at the name tag stuck to Murasakibara's desk. It reads, Atsushi Murasakibara.

"Uuuh... If you don't know what is happening, why are you here then, in the correct seat?"

"Oh, Kuro-chin told me to sit here~" Murasakibara said.

Midorima sighed and pushed his glasses up.

"We are here because of the end of year exams," Midorima replied, turning back to the front, trying to ignore the sugar giant.

It wasn't that he dislike talking to Murasakibara but he needed to concentrate on the task ahead which was the examination and _beating Akashi._ He took out his trusted rolling pencil and placed it on the desk. He has done everything humanely possible, now it is on fate. _Man proposes, God disposes._

Everyone was seated for the examination, teachers were at their places, and the first test was handed out to every student... now, all that leaves is the head teacher to commence the test.

"The first exam is the Chemistry test," she announced, "Good luck to you all! You may start."  
Midorima opened the test booklet and read the first question.

Q1. What is the centre of an atom called?

1\. Electrons  
2\. Neutrons

3\. Nucleus

4\. Hydrogen

5\. Protons

6\. Molecule

Midorima smiled and ticked 3. It was nucleus obviously but to make sure, he rolled his rolling pencil. 3. 3 it is! _The battle has begun!_


	4. The Results

"Well done Midorima, your chemistry test was flawless," the teacher said as he handed the marked tests back.

Midorima looked down and saw a 100% scrawled on the top right corner of the chemistry test booklet. The feeling of success flooded straight into him and he relished it. _Akashi can't beat this!_ He twisted the rubber band on his wrist, today's lucky item.

"Everyone, you have received all of your tests back. Hopefully you are satisfied with your mark. Your overall ranking is posted on the notice board. Go check it during your break," the teacher informed.

Midorima looked down at his other tests papers. Everything was to his satisfaction but nothing was just as outstanding as his chemistry test paper. His biology was close with 99%.

"Oi, Midorima, what did you get?" Aomine said.

"None of your concern," he replied nonchalantly.

"Oh come on, I'll tell you what I got!"

Midorima stared at Aomine mischievous smile before looking back at his tests.

"Don't ignore me!" he exclaimed indignantly.

"What do you want?" Midorima sighed.

"See, I passed!"

There was a rustling of papers and all of Aomine's tests scores were suddenly on Midorima's desks. There was a smug expression plastered across Aomine's face.

"I only looked at Momoi's notes once and I passed," Aomine smiled.

"Your point?" Midorima said.

"I can still pass when I fall asleep in class!"

Midorima looked at Aomine's tests papers. _73, 60, 51, 57... It certainly is a pass._

 _RING!_

Midorima gathered all his tests papers, stuffed them into his folder and got up from his seat.

"Oi, Midorima!"

"I'm checking the ranking," Midorima replied, pushing up his glasses.

He walked down the aisle and out into the corridor. A hoard of students was rushing towards to the notice board with anticipation on their faces. Midorima joined them.

Midorima tried to peer over the large group of students crowding around the notice board. It wasn't easy. Despite having the advantage in height, it was still extremely uncomfortable trying to read something in a closely knit cluster with students shoving and pushing each other.

It was awhile before he could drive through to get a clear look at the ranking. He found himself placing tied second. He sighed deeply. _The position is okay. Not horrible...not great._ _Akashi's still first._

"As expected," a familiar, soft voice said, right behind Midorima's back.

 _Akashi_...

Midorima abruptly turned around and found himself staring straight into a pair of piercing, red eyes.

"Akashi," Midorima muttered under his breath.

"Shintaro."

"Why are you here Akashi? You know you would always be first," Midorima said stiffly.

"Is it wrong for me to check the progress of my players?" he said casually, "Oh and, congratulations on coming second."

Midorima squinted his eyes. He could hear the slight mockery in Akashi's tone but he dared not to say anything to his captain.

"We should get out of this crowded area," Akashi said.

Midorima nodded mutely and followed Akashi's lead. They eventually settled in a less crowded and much quieter area of the corridor.

"What do you want to tell me?" Midorima tried again.

"I heard you got a 100% in your chemistry test."

"Yes, I did. And I know it is futile to hope that you got lower than me," Midorima said, wincing as he heard the hopefulness creeping into his voice.

Midorima prayed pointlessly that Akashi did not hear it. Akashi did not like _anyone_ being sceptical about his rightfulness. He saw Akashi narrow his eyes. _He heard._

"Yes, it is extremely _futile_ to think that. I am _always_ first. I _always_ win therefore I am _always_ right. Don't ever doubt that."

This time Midorima could detect venom in Akashi's voice.

"I know," he answered stiffly.

The scorn lifted off from Akashi's face.

"Shintaro, we should play shogi sometime again."

The lightness was back into Akashi's tone.

"Yes, we should," Midorima said, matching to Akashi's calmness.

"It was nice talking to you Shintaro but I should get back to my class."

Akashi walked away leaving Midorima standing there alone in the corridor. _That guy is_ not _normal_. In his whole life, Midorima never encountered someone so rigid and demanding. Akashi does not answer to anyone. _Well, that isn't entirely true_. There _is_ one person that even Akashi respects... that his whole team respects.

 _Ah well..._ Midorima left the hall with a heavy heart. His goal still remains intact. To beat Akashi. He was not satisfied with a tie.

The world always have a clear winner and the next test, Midorima was determined that it'll be him.


End file.
